I got brass in a pocket
I got bottle, I’m gonna use it
Intention, I feel inventive
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice
‘Cause I’m gonna make you see
There’s nobody else here, no one like me
I’m special (special)
So special (special)
I gotta have some of your attention, give it to me.
(Brass in pocket, The Pretenders 1979)
Exceptionalism is great. When a person is exceptional, all the rules that apply to everyone else somehow don’t apply to them.
It works on many levels, from individuals to people of a certain level of social standing, more often than not defined by their wealth or status, family or political connections, and dare I make it about mythology, religion, race?
The how and why of exceptionalism is probably the most divisive element in life. Exceptionalism as defined in the Cambridge dictionary is “the idea that a person, country or political system can be allowed to be different from, and perhaps better than others.”
For example, American exceptionalism is a popularly held belief which has its foundation in the settlement at Plymouth Rock where the newly declared settlement was established to ensure freedom of religion, understanding that the pilgrims had left strife riven England because of religious discrimination.
The establishment of the new colony was seen as a blessing from God, and that they happened upon an abandoned village with crops sown and almost ready for harvest was a sign of God’s blessing, and they happened to find a beautiful fat turkey ready to butcher on that last Thursday of November of 1621… and Thanksgiving has been an American tradition from that day on. (I am taking a few liberties with actual dates, but I think you may see where this is going.)
That God’s blessing was so fundamental in the occupation of the newfound lands led to the concept of Manifest Destiny, where all of the lands south of the 49th parallel were there for the taking, no matter who thought they had prior rights to it.
Again as above, over time, the perception of American Exceptionalism changed, morphed into a different understandings to suit political and geopolitical agendas. That the US does not acknowledge the International Court of Justice when their behaviour is under scrutiny, like in dealing with the indiscriminate bombing by the US military during the Bosnian crisis or when considering the question of whether the unrelenting attack on Gaza by the US supported IDF, the denial of food and medical supplies, the bombing of recently declared safe zones and so forth are actually acts of genocide or not, yet the brutal attack of 7 October which saw 1200 innocent people killed was a war crime by any definition. That the continued supply of weapons is at least thirty times more important than supplying aid to the besieged Palestinians.
American Exceptionalism and Israeli Exceptionalism: They are different and yet somehow very much the same. The history of Jews in Europe, but also in the places such as Britain, America and Australia has been marked with discrimination. Jews have traditionally stayed aside from the mainstream culture, have retained their special religion, their language, their traditions and their self definition, Biblically based through the promise to their original ‘father’, Abraham, that they are God’s chosen people. In the case of the settlement of Israel from 1948 on Jews, Israelis are merely reclaiming the land which is theirs by God’s decree, God’s promise to Abraham some 2,500 years ago. Those who stand in their way are dispensable. Yes, Netanyahu has quoted from the book of Exodus to validate mass slaughter.
It is easy to look at exceptionalism as something remote from us, a defining quality taken on by either Americans or Israelis, but when we look a little closer to home, we see that exceptionalism marks our very existence in so many ways. Just look back to the Voice referendum, we said no to creating a means of listening to the most marginalised of our people, we said no, we don’t want to have to listen to you. We hear complaints about the acknowledgement to country, we heard complaints when the ‘sorry’ was presented to parliament, too many people said they had done nothing to be sorry for, but that really wan’t the point was it? It was an acknowledgement that we, the white settlers who took the land without asking, without negotiating, did something to be sorry for… and yes, it was ten or twelve generations ago, and yes, many of us came from lands other than those who came from the colonising nation, Britain, but which ever way you want to look at it, the land was taken, and later to ensure assimilation, their children were stolen so they could be properly brought up to be a servant and labouring class. So yes, there was reason to be sorry. White European exceptionalism said the land was there to be taken because “we are better than them.”
But look a little closer still, look at the number of people who for any number of reasons find themselves stateless, seeking refuge, somewhere, anywhere, and in desperation are sold the idea that an old boat in Indonesia will take you to that safe haven called Australia and they will give you refuge, but no, these are ‘illegals’, and are sent off to a prison island, never to be allowed to set foot here. How dare they even think they could be made welcome, while there are many protocols which would allow us to consider their eligibility for refugee status. But we are exceptional, we can decide without even considering their plight or circumstance that they are not worthy to live here.
Or look a little closer still. A synagogue was attacked, an act of terrorism, a criminal act levelled against one particular group of people; Jews. The act was unreservedly antisemitic, and vile, that people are attacked for who they are, that they are Jews, they are targets. I agree absolutely that there is no place here for such actions, such hatred. We, are after, all an immigrant nation, people drawn from every land, people representing all religions, each laying claim to their own exceptionalism based on their beliefs or unbeliefs, and each entitled to worship their gods as their holy orders decree.
How different is the burning of a synagogue than say an attack on a church or a mosque, how different is antisemitism say that Islamophobia or racism? In each case, the potential, and yes, it has actually happened, that a mosque gets bombed, or other places of worship are targeted, or people are vilified because of the hijab they wear or the colour of their skin, each time a person claims special privilege because of race, religion or ethnicity, they are playing the exceptional game. They are saying I am better than you, you do not deserve the same rights and privileges that I have.
We saw it in the Royal Commission on child abuse, where those who were known to abuse children were moved from one place to another, never acknowledging that what was being done was wrong, and denying the victims redress. We saw it in the defence of the highest Catholic official, a cardinal, being supported by a former prime minister and a radio shock jock who is currently facing charges of sexual misconduct. Those in high places are definitely exceptional.
We see it in homophobia, we see it in domestic violence, where the other is deemed less worthy, one assumes greater power or privilege over another because of gender, because of self definition. Non compliance can be deadly.
We have politicians who appear to favour one group over another, playing the race card; African gangs in Victoria, Lebanese gangs in Cronulla, and the government doesn’t stand up strongly enough for this group or that group.
We see it in labour relations where senior management will insist on work standards from the lowest paid employees, to be measured on their performance based on algorithms and criteria which the management team would not apply to themselves. The bullying tactics which feed on insecure workers while the management team are paid on their ability to extract more from the lowest paid, or to screw a supplier, or as in the building and construction industry declare bankruptcy but unfinished projects get finished by ‘mates’, the suppliers and subcontractors are left carrying the can for the unpaid bills.
Wouldn’t it be a good thing that we actually behaved toward others as we expect others to behave toward us, that we ensure that all those around us are respected in the same way that we expect to be respected?
I recall a discussion I had with friends many years ago as we were looking at the possibility of opening a business which would trade seven days a week. We talked it over and decided we needed three people to be partners, a Muslim, a Jew and a Christian. That would ensure that each could work in the business which was open all week, but still satisfy the religious restrictions of, for the Muslim to attend Friday prayers, the Jew to respect the Sabbath and the Christian worship on the Sunday. It was just talk, the business didn’t happen but the work roster would have respected the religious and family obligations of each.
Now that would be exceptional.
Oh for a perfect world.
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